ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- The Cantata Singers choral group was awarded an Artist Employment Program (AEP) grant from Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY).

Founded in 1964 in Elmira, The Cantata Singers is a community-based choral organization that performs both classical works and original songs about the Twin Tiers and Finger Lakes Region. The group was awarded the "over $200,000" AEP grant on June 30 after a timely application process.

"We were alerted to the possibility of a grant by the Arts of the Southern Finger Lakes when the application period first opened," said Will Wickham, Director of The Cantata Singers. "It was a whirlwind of activity for a couple [of] months, and all of a sudden, there we were in an interview to determine whether we were a finalist or semi-finalist. In June we got the notification that we got the grant."

The goal of CRNY is to "support employment opportunities for artists" across the state of New York. According to a press release from the organization, CRNY has "awarded $49.9 million in funding to support artists’ salaries and benefits, with an additional $11.7 million in funding provided to the organizations holding employment...by community-based organizations, municipalities and tribal governments."

The Cantata Singers' two-year AEP grant will provide "sufficient funding" to help support the creation and performance of the group's original music.

"The bulk of the money is going into creating new music," said Wickham, who additionally writes much of the original songs the group performs. "Specifically, it's going to be creating music about the Southern Finger Lakes area...hoping to tell the stories of the amazing, diverse population we have, and something about the history of the area as well."

Wickham and the entirety of The Cantata Singers are extremely grateful and honored for the financial security the AEP grant will provide to the group.

"It's huge. It means I get to spend more time writing and less time worrying about where the money is coming from," Wickham said. "For the singers, it means we have the luxury of being able to do maybe bigger performances [and have] more opportunities to perform across the area."

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Cantata Singers held approximately three concerts a year. With restrictions lifting throughout the past few months, Wickham said the group will soon be returning to in-person performances. For more information on The Cantata Singers or to become a group member, visit their website at Cantatasingers.com. The group can also be found on Facebook at Cantata Singers.